Sherratt Lab

Dr
Kevin Abbott

Contact

Email

kabbott3 [at]
connect [dot] carleton [dot] ca

Telephone

+1 613 520 2600 (ext. 3866)

Fax

+1 613 520 3539

Research Interests

I study cognition from
an evolutionary perspective. This generally
involves asking two related questions. Firstly, how does natural
selection shape the evolution of cognitive strategies of a focal
species? And secondly, how do these evolved cognitive adaptations
affect the evolution of species that interact with the focal species?
In the past I have studied this co-evolution of cognitive and
non-cognitive traits in a system where pollinators attempt to detect,
and avoid, flowers that contain camouflaged flower-dwelling ambush
predators. Using game theory and signal detection theory models, I
explored how the optimal search strategies of pollinators (a cognitive
trait) might co-evolve with the colour of the flowers and the movement
strategies of the predators (non-cognitive traits that are exposed to
selection by the pollinators' cognitive strategy).

In the Sherratt lab, I have been applying this approach to other
systems. For example, I have extended the model described above to
other types of predator-prey systems involving camouflage. I will
likely also work on applying similar models to mimicry systems (see for
example Sherratt 2002). In collaboration with Tom Sherratt, I am
currently developing a novel optimal cognition model. In particular, we
are exploring how causal learning mechanisms can cope with the risk of
superstitious beliefs to produce optimal behaviours in uncertain
environments. We may, then explore how this optimal learning strategy
co-evolves with the traits of species that either benefit, or are
harmed, when the focal species develops a superstitious belief about
the causal nature of its environment.